Engine starting mechanism



March 8, 1932. R. P. LANSING ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets Sheet Filed Sept. 6, 1929 March 8, 1932. R. P. LANSING ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Mar. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE RAYMOND P. LANSING, MONTGLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ECLIPSE MACHINE COMPANY, OF ELMIBA HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Application filed September e, 1929. Serial No. 390,765.

This invention relates to engine starting apparatus and more particularly to a starter of the inertia type.

Inertia starters of the small, high speed 7 15 flywheel type heretofore provided, have embodied an engine engaging jaw clutch member which is longitudinally movable into driving engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and which is drivably connected to the flywheel through reduction means whereby the clutch member was rotated at a relatively low speed as, for example, 80 R. P. M. A jaw clutch member can be readily moved into driving engagement with the engine member at such a speed.

In certain instances it is desirable to drive the jaw clutch member at a speed greatly in' excess of that indicated above, but much difficulty has heretofore been encountered in providing such a device due to damage to the teeth of the clutch members when the latter are moved into driving engagement.

One of the objects of the present invention is to'provide an engine starter embodying a high speed engine engaging member, and one which is so constructed as to overcome the above difliculty. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for causing engagement between the driven member of the starter, and a member of the engine to be started.

Among the engines now in use are a numher which have associated therewith, a supercharger or blower, driven from the crankshaft or anysuitable rotating element of the engine, through a suitable gear train.

A further-object of this invention is to provide novel starting mechanism which will utilize such gearing 'during the starting operation. V Another object is to provide an inertia starter embodying novel means including a plurality of clutches for drivably connecting the inertia member andengine engaging member.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide in an inertia starter having a driven member movable into engagement with a cranking member, an inertia member which is normally disconnected from the driven ertia starter embodying a friction clutch forestablishing a driving connection between the driven member and the flywheel when the latter has been brought to a desired speed.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be express- 1y understood, however, that the drawings are for the purposes of illustration only, and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for \this purpose to the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to similar elements throughout the several views,-

, Fig. 1 is an elevation in axial section of a starter embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section illustrating a starter mounted in operative relation with a supercharger gear train.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the starter comprises a housing 1, the inner portionthereof being adapted to be secured in any suitable manner, as by means of studs 2, to the rear portion 3 of an engine crank case, while the outer portion thereof is adapted to house a flywheel 4.. Cover 5, suitably secured to housing 1 as by means of a plurality of bolts, one of which is shown at 6, has secured thereto a casing portion 7 on which there is mounted an electric motor indicated generally at 8.

The flywheel 4 is adapted to be rotated by motor 8 through normally disengaged clutch elements 9 and 10. Clutch element 9. is mounted on armature shaft 11 of motor 8, for longitudinal and rotary movement, by means of cooperating spiral splines 12 and 13, and is normally held out of engagement with clutch ed connection and cooperating set screw 16.

Flywheel 4 is drivably connected to sleeve 16 and is rotatably supported by two laterally spaced bearings 17 and 18 contained in boss 19 which may be formed integrally with cover 5.

Extending through sleeve 16 is a shaft 20 which is rotatably supported with respect to said sleeve by means of a ball bearing 20*. The shaft 20 carries at its outer end a nut 21 which coacts with an annular shoulder 21 to securely hold the inner race of the ball bearing 20 in operative position. The outer race of said bearing is held securely between clutch element 10 and a portion of sleeve 16.

The inner end portion of the shaft 20 has drivably associated therewith a driving pinion 22, constituting a sun gear, which meshes with three planetary pinions one of which is shown in section at 23, and which are spaced apart at intervals of 120 around the closed end 24 of a driving barrel 25. Sleeves 26 having retaining ring 27 formed integrally therewith are pressed into counterbores formed-in barrel end 24, and support ball bearings 28 on which the planetary pinions are rotatably mounted. The planetary pinions also mesh with a fixed internal gear 29 which is rigidly mounted within housing 1 as by means of studs 30. 4

The driving barrel 25, which is rotatably mounted in housing 1, as by means of ball bearings 31, is provided at its outer end with a reduced extension 24 which carries a ball bearing 24, for rotatably supporting the driving pinion 22. The barrel drives an interiorly threaded nut 32 through a yielding driving connection, which in the form illustrated is constituted by a multiple disk clutch 33, alternate disks thereof being splined respectively to the internal portion of the barrel and the external portion of the nut. Suitable means such as springs 34 and adjusting nuts 35 are provided for adjusting the frictional engagement of the disks of the clutch.

' Mounted for longitudinal and rotary movement within nut 32 is a threaded shaft 36 which carries a nut 37 which together with a shoulder 38 on nut 32 act as a stop to limit the outward movement of shaft 36. The opposite end of the shaft is longitudinally splined to receive the splined portion 39 of a jaw clutch member 40. Movement of the clutch member 40 towards the shaft 36 is resisted by means of a coil spring 42 encircling a rod 43, and interposed between the inner hub portion of clutch member 40 and a recess formed in shaft 36. The rod 43 is concentrically disposed with respect to shaft 36 and is threaded at its inner end to receive a nut 43 which maintains member 40 in operative relation with said rod and shaft. The member 40 is adapted to engage a jaw clutch member 44 Means are provided for moving the starter jaw into engagement with the jaw 44 and such means preferably enable the two jaws to become engaged at a substantially zero speed of relative rotation. To this end, there are provided on the outer periphery of the head of the jaw 40, a series of longitudinal slots 48 which are adapted to receive radial lugs 49 which project inwardly from the inner surface of a split ring 50, frictionally supported on lip 50 of a casing member 51, and retained thereon by means of a resilient member 51. Member 51 carries a flexible washer 51 which engages the outer surface of portion 39 of the starter jaw, said member and washer coacting to form oil sealing means whereby seepage of oil from the engine into the starter housing is prevented.

Motion transmitting means which include a friction clutch are interposed between the flywheel and the driving pinion 22. In the form illustrated-such means is constituted by a cone clutch 52 having a hub 53 provided with internal spiral splines 54 which cooperate with similar splines 54 formed on shaft 20. The clutch 52 is normally disengaged from the flywheel 4 but is adapted to be moved into frictional engagement therewith by means of a yoke 55 which extends into an annular groove 56 formed on hub 53. The yoke is keyed or otherwise suitably attached to a rockshaft 56 extending laterally through the housing 1 and adapted to be rocked by a lever 57 The pitch of spiral splines 54 and 54 is such that the force exerted by yoke 55 will rotate the clutch 52 which will move longitudinally into engagement with the flywheel, and may be, for example,

The clutch element 52 is preferably so designed and constructed that the torque transmitting capacity between the element 52 and flywheel 4 is greater than that of the clutch 33. It is pointed out that after the clutch 52 has been actuated to engage therotating flywheel 4 and the starter jaw member has engaged the engine member, the clutch 33 will slip until the resistance to starting has been overcome, thus gradually and efficiently transferring the energy from the flywheel to the engine to be started and in addition thereto preventing undue wear and binding of the is disengaged from the flywheel 4. When motor 8 is energized, the clutch element 9 automatically moves into engagement with clutch element 10, by reason of the cooperating spiral splines 12 and 13.

Motion is now transmitted from element 10 to the sleeve 16 and flywheel. 4 whereby the latter is rotated at high speed to store up the starting energy. During this period of acceleration of the flywheel, the shaft 20 together with the members drivably connected thereto are stationary.

When suflicient energy has been stored in the flywheel, the motor is preferably deener gized and the flywheel is automatically dis-,

then transmitted through the clutch 52 to shaft-20 which rotates together with driving pinion 22, to transmit motion to'the planetary pinions 23, which cooperate with stationary gear 29 to rotate the barrel 25. Friction clutch 33 transmits the rotation of the barrel to the nut 32 which drives shaft 36. Rotation of the shaft 36 will impart a combined rotary and longitudinal movement to the jaw 40 by reason of the cooperation between slots 48 and lugs 49, and the screw action between the nut 32 and shaft 36. Since only a fraction of a revolution of shaft 36 is required to cause jaws 40 and 44 to become fully engaged, it will be apparent that the relative rotation therebetween during engagement, is substantially zero.

In employing starters of the inertia type for starting internal combustion engines it is desirable in order to prevent damage to the reduction gearing, to gradually transmit the energy stored in the flywheel to the crank shaft of the engine when the starter and en.- gine aws are engaged. This is accomplished in the structure shown by-so designing and adjusting the clutches 33 and 52, 4 that the torque transmitting capacity of the former. is of a lower value than that of the latter. Such an adjustment as has heretofore been pointed out, serves also to prevent undue wear and binding of the cone clutch.- When the starter and engine jaws become'engaged the resistance to rotation offered by the engine jaw memberautomatically forces the cone clutch 52 into intimate engagement with the flywheel 4 by reason of the inclination of the splines 54 and 54. At this instant, however, the setting of the friction disk clutch 33 is such that it will slip until theresistance to starting is gradually overcome, thus gradually tran mitting the energy from the flywheel to the engine.

When the engine has started under its own power, the inclination of the teeth on the jaw members 40 and 44 is such that aw 40 will be Q moved to the right (Fig. 1)'out of engageing a supercharger ment with aw member 44.

Referring to Fig. 2, the starter is shown as adapted to crank a rotatable shaft 45 drivably connected to a crank shaft or crank shaft extension 46 of an engine of the type employor blower indicated generally at 47. In engines ofthis character, the superchanger, in order to attain a high speed of rotation, may be drivably connected "the crank shaft thereof, such employed as a step in the reduction through a suitable gear train to a .rotat' member of the engine, and in the illustrate embodiment, such gear train is indicated generally at 48, connecting shaft 45, which drivably carries jaw member 44 and the rotatable element of the supercharger, with member 46.

It will be understood from this arrangement, that the supercharger gearing 48 is employed as reduction means in the transmission of energy from the flywheel 4 to the rotatable member 46, thus eliminating the necessity of utilizing additional reduction gearing within the starter, and decreasing the weight and cost of the latter. Starters other than that of the type shown in Figs. 1 and. 2, for example, a suitable electric starter, ma be employed to crank the engine throug the supercharger gearing. I

There is thus provided a starter of the inertia type which is particularly adapted for use in cranking internal combustion engines.

By employing the normally disengaged friction clutch in combination with the multiple disk clutch, the energy stored in the flywheel may be gradually transmitted to the starter jaw after the latter has become engaged with the engine jaw. The combined automatic and manual jaw meshing means .enables the starter and engine jaws to become It is pointed out that with engines having a high compression ratio and in connection with which a large reservoir of starting energy is required, the provision of the friction clutches as indicated insures effective transference of the starting energy while at the same time affording maximum protection to the .power transmitting means.

While there has been illustrated and described herein for purposes of description a particular starter construction, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the form shown. Manual means may be used for rotating flywheel 4, instead of the power means, or both manual and power means, may be employed for this purpose; and while there has been shown a friction clutch of the cone type for engaging the flywheel, it is to be understood that any suitabletype of clutch may be utilized for this purpose. a

In one of the illustrated embodiments of the inventionthe starter has been shown as adapted to crankan engine of the type employing a supercharger or blower geared to gearing being gearing interposed between the inertia flywheel and the crank shaft of the engine to be cranked.

It is to be expressly understood, however, that the invention is not limited to a starter for engines of such character, but may be em ployed for starting other types of engines.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction of the apparatus,- the relative sizes and shapes of the component parts and the relative arran ements thereof, as well understood by those sdiilled in the art. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What I claim is I 1. In starting apparatus of the class described, a driven member movable into engagement with a member drivably connected with the crankshaft of an engine to be started,

a driving member therefor, multiple disc clutch means drivably connecting said driving and driven members, an inertia member for rotating said driving member, a cone clutch drivably connected to said driving member and normally disengaged with re-' to be started, a driving member for said driven member, friction clutch means associated with the drivlng and dr1ven members,

an inertia member, means for rotating the inertia member, a second friction clutch means drivably associatedwith'said driving member and normally disengaged. with respect to said inertia member, and means for causing engagement between said inertia member and said second friction clutch means.

3. An engine starter having in combination a driven member movable to engage and crank a member of an engine to be started, a driving member, friction clutch means between said driving and driven members, a flywheel, means for rotating said flywheel to store energy therein, and means for trans ferring the energy stored in said flywheel to said driving member, said means including a second friction clutch normally disengaged but movable to engage said flywheel.

ber to the driven member said means includ- 4. An engine starter having in combination a normally stationary driven member, a driving member therefor, normally engaged friction clutch means operatively connect ng said members, an inertia member, means for rotating, said inertia. member, means for transferring energyv from said inertia meming a normally disengaged friction clutch drivably connected to said driving member, and manually operable means for causing engagement between said clutch and'the inertia member, the torque-transmitting capacity between said last mentioned members being greater than that of said friction clutc means.

5. A starter of the class described comprising a driven member normally disengaged with respect to an engine member drivably associated with the crankshaft of an engine to be started, an inertia member, means for rotating said inertia member, a friction clutch element drivably connected to said driven member and adapted to engage said inertia member but normally disengaged therefrom, means for moving said clutch element into engagement with said inertia member, and means for automatically moving said driven member into engagement with said engine member.

6. In combination, a flywheel, means for rotating said flywheel, a driven member adapted to engage and-crank an engine member drivably connected with the crankshaft of an engine to be started, means including a normally disengaged friction clutch for drivably connecting the flywheel and driven member, and means for automatically moving said driven member into engagement with v the engine member.

7. In an engine starter of the type embodying a driven member adapted to be moved into driving engagement with a member of the engine to be started, a driving 'member, a normally engaged friction clutch drivably connecting said members, a normal: ly disengaged friction clutch element drivably associated with said driving member, an inertia member, means for rotating said inertia member and means for causing engage- 'ment between said clutch element and said inertia member. A,

8. An engine starter comprising a driven member movable to engagement and crank a member of the engine to be started, a flywheelfor driving said driven member, means for rotatin said flywheel, a friction clutch adapte to engage butnormally disengaged from said flywheel, means including reduction gearing for drivably connecting said driven member with said clutch, and means for engaging said clutch and flywheel after said flywheel has reached a desired speed.

9, In a starter having a driven member adapted to engage and crank a member of an engine to be started, a driving member for said driven member, a rotating inertia member, means for drivably conneetinggaid driving member to' said inertia mem r including an intermediate drive transmitting member and a friction clutch interposed between said intermediate member and said inertia member, and a second friction clutch interposed between said intermediate member and said driving member.

10. In combination with a flywheel and means for rotating said flywheel, a driven member, a driving member therefor, means including a friction clutch for drivably connecting said driving member with said flywheel, said clutch being manually shiftable into frictional engagement with said flywheel, and a second friction clutch for drivably connecting said driving and driven members.

11. In starting apparatus of the class described, an inertia member, means for ro- 1 tating said inertia member, a driven member,

, and means including normally engaged and normally disengaged friction clutches for drivably connecting said inertia and driven members, the torque transmitting capacity of the normally engaged clutch being less than that of the normally disengaged clutch.

12. In a starter for an engine of the type employing an auxiliary engine unit geared to the crankshaft thereof and adapted ,to be cranked through said gearing, a driven member movable to engage and c 'ank an engine member drivably associated with said auxiliary engine unit, an inertia driving member for said driven member, means for automatically causing engagement between the driven and engine members, and means for gradually imparting the energy of said inertia member to said engine member.

13. In an inertia starter of the type embodying an inertia driving element for driving a driven element movable to drivably engage an engine member associated with the crankshaft of an engine to be cranked, a a normally disengaged friction clutch between 40 the driven element and thednertia driving element, means for engaging said clutch with said inertia element, means cooperating with the-driven element for automatically moving said element into engagement with the engine 45 member and means for automatically increasing the frictional engagement between said clutch and said inertia element.

14. An inertia starter comprising in combination a driven element, a flywheel, means I for rotating said flywheel, a normally stationary shaft, a frictionclutch element drivably carried on said shaft, means for engaging said clutch element with said flywheel, and means includinga second friction clutch adjusted to transmit less torque than said first mentioned clutch for drivably connecting said shaftwith said driven element.

15. A starter comprising a flywheel, means for rotating said flywheel, a shaft rotatably supported with respect to said flywheel, a

friction clutch normally disengaged from said flywheel and carried by said shaft for rotary and longitudinal movement, a driven member, means including a second friction clutch for drivably connecting said shaft and moving said clutch into engagement with the inertia member and means cooperating with said driven member for automatically causing engagement between the driven and engine members.

17 A starter for an engine having a rotatable member drivably connected to the crankshaft through a reduction gearing, a driven member movable to engage said rotatable member to crank said engine, a flywheel normally disconnected from said driV-e en member, means for rotating said flywheel, means for connecting said flywheel to said driven member while the flywheel is rotating, and means for automatically moving said driven member into engagement with said rotatable member whereby said engine is cranked through said reduction gearing.

18. In combination, an engine starter having a driven member movableto engage a member of an engine to be started, an inertia driving member adapted to rotate said driven member but normally disconnected therefrom, manually operable means for drivably .connecting said inertia and driven members,

and means for moving said driven member into engagement with said engine member 19. Starting apparatus of the type employing a driven member movable to engage and crank a member of an engine to be started, an inertia member normally disconnected from said driven member, means for rotating said inertia member, means for connecting .said rotating inertia member to said driven member said means including a friction clutch of the cone type, and means for automatically moving sald driven member into engagement with the engine member.

' 20. In combination with an internal combustion engine of the type provided with an auxiliary engine-unit the rotor of which is adapted to be driven from the engine crankshaft through a suitable gear train, a starter having a jaw clutch member, a jaw clutch member drivably connected to said rotor, and

means for moving said first member into driving engagement with the second member whereby the engine is cranked through the said gear train.

21. In engine starting apparatus, an inertia member, means for rotating said inertia member to store energy therein, a member adapted to be moved into engagement witha member of an engine to be started, motion reduction means, yielding clutch means for drivably connecting said reduction means drivably connecting said reduction means and said engine engaging member, and clutch means embodying normally disengaged elements for drivably"connecting said inertia member andreduction means.

23. In engine starting apparatus, an in-' ertia member, means for rotating said inertia member to store energy therein, a member adapted to be moved into engagement with a member of an engine to be started, and means for drivably connecting said inertia member and said engine engaging member including a plurality of clutches, the elements of one of said clutches being normally disengaged and being adapted to transmit greatertorque when engaged than another of said clutches. 24. In engine. starting apparatus, an in: ertia member, means for rotating said inertia member to store energy therein, a member adapted to be moved into engagement with a member of an engine to be started, said engine engaging'member being normally disconnected from said inertia member and adapted to rotate at relatively high speed, means for drivably connecting said inertia member to said engine-engaging member,

and means for moving said engine engaging member into driving engagement with the member of the engineto be started at relatively low speed.

25. In bination with in internal combustion engine of the type providedwith an auxiliaryengine unit the rotor of which is drivably connected to the engine crankshaft throu hsuitable gearing, startin mechanism inclu g a rotatable member a apted to be moved into engagement with an en ine mem-' ber drivabl associated with sai gearing,

and means or rotating saidtrotatable member. k

26. In engine starting apparatus of the type embodying a driven member movable to engage and crank a member of an en e to be started, an inertia member norma y disconnected from said driven member, means 7 tive rotation.

" for rotating said inertia member to store energy therein, manually operable means for drivably connecting said inertia and drivenmembers, and means for automatically causing'engagement of said driven and engine members at substantially zero speed of rela- 27. In a starter for an engine of the employing an auxiliary engine unit member drivably connecte to said gearing,

tween said rotatable and engine mem and crank a member drivably associated the crankshaft thereof and adapted to be cranked through said gearing, a rotatable member movable into engagement with an engine member drivably connected with said gearing, means for rotating-said rotatable member, and means for moving said last-men- I tioned member into engagement with the engine member whereby the engine is cranked through said gearing.

28. In combination with an internal combustion engine of the type provided'with an auxiliary engine unit drivably associated with the crankshaft through suitable gearing, starting apparatus including a rotatab e member movable to enga e and crank a a driving member for rotating said rotatab e member, means connecting said driving and rotatable members including reduction gearing, and means for causing engagemgrt bers. 29. In combination with a flywheel and means for rotating said flywheel, a jaw'clutch member, and means including a plurality of clutches of 'difierent torque transmitting capacities for drivably connecting said rotating flywheel and member. r v

30.- In starting apparatus of the type described, an en ine engaging member movable to engage an .crank a member of an engine to be started, an inertia member, means for rotating said inertia member, means for drivably connecting said rotating inertia member and engine engaging member including a friction clutch, means for thereafter moving said en engagement wit the enginemember, and

31. n combination with an internal combustion engine having an auxiliary engine unit adapted to be operated thereby, a transmission between the engine and auxiliary en- 'gine unit, an engine starter having aunember normally. disengaged but movable tobngagfi wit said transmission, said transmission serving as a common means for'drivablyco'nnecting said members and auxiliary engine unit to. the engine." P

ne engaging member into,

.means for automatically increasin the frictional engagement of saidclutc in conformit with the load.

III

32'. In-combinatio'n with an internal com- I bustion engine having an auxiliary engine unit, an engine starter having a member movable to engage and crank a member of the engine, transmission means including gearing for drivably connecting said last mentioned member and engine, and means for drivably connecting said auxiliary engine unit to said transmissions means.

' In combination withan internal combastion engine having an auxiliary'engine unit, speed multiplying means between the engine and auxiliary, engine unit, an engine starter having a rotatable member n'o'rmall disengaged but movable to engage and era a member drivably associated with said. speed multiplying means, said means serving as a speed reductiontmeans with respect to said rotatable member during the cranking operation.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

RAYMOND P. LANSING. 

